Toilet Fastening System

ABSTRACT

A toilet fastener is provided that has a bolt with offset anti-spin foot, a locking system that prevents the nut from easily backing off the threaded bolt, and beauty cap that forms to the nut allowing tool-less installation and re-tightening. The fastener is formed of a non-corrosive metal, plastic or any combination thereof. The toilet fastener provides an easier toilet installation and maintenance with less parts and greater resistance to natural or synthetic elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of toilet fastenersbetween a toilet base and a toilet flange.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A toilet fastener is positioned between the base of a toilet and theupwardly facing toilet flange provided on the floor drain. A standardfastening system consists of a metal bolt with rectangular base thatslides into the bolt channel on the toilet flange and protrudes upwardthrough the toilet base, a beauty cap plate, a metal washer, a metalnut, and finally a beauty cap. The object of the toilet fastener is toprovide a means to holding the toilet to the flange; however, many ofthe prior art fasteners become loose or deteriorate and develop leaksallowing fluid waste to escape.

The standard bolt is produced from various metals. If the bolt comesinto contact with moisture and it is made out of a steel it will rustand has to be removed for repair. Further, the bolt is difficult toobserve as the bolt is covered with a beauty cap hiding thedeteriorating nut and bolt. The base of a standard bolt has arectangular shaped design for the purpose of keeping the bolt in theflange. However, due to the varying widths and shapes of the boltchannels on flanges the standard bolt can become dislodged due to thedesign of the base of the bolt. Furthermore, the standard bolt can spinin the channel due to the varying widths and shapes of the bolt channelsmaking it difficult to tighten and untighten the nut on the bolt withoutthe bolt becoming dislodged from the flange.

The standard nut and bolt configuration allows the nut to loosen bybacking up on the threads due to the angle of the thread pattern and themovement and rocking of the toilet base. The standard nut is also madeof various metals. If the nut comes into contact with moisture and it ismade out of a steel it will rust and has to be removed for repair. Thestandard nut has a hexagon shape about ⅜″ wide and 3/16″ tall requiringthe use of tools for tightening and a metal washer to keep the nut fromgoing through the toilet base.

The standard beauty cap plate is installed before the metal washer andnut for the purpose of holding the cap over the washer, nut and cutbolt. Therefore if the metal washer and metal nut become rusted orloose, the cap has to be removed and tools must be used to re-tightenthe nut, if the nut and bolt are not too deteriorated. If the nut and orbolt are heavily rusted the use of saws, grinders or other tools wouldneed to be used for removal. Furthermore, the cap keeps the metal nutand metal washer hidden from view obstructing the ability to see if ithas become loose or begun to deteriorate.

What is needed is a toilet to flange fastening system that does not rustor deteriorate, does not allow the nut to back off and become loose,does not allow the foot of the bolt to become dislodged and spin in theflange, does not require tools for tightening and repair, and installswith fewer pieces.

Currently there are a number of options for a toilet to flange fasteningsystem. Some of these options use a steel bolt, or other metals, a nut,a washer, a cap plate and a cap, but these options fail to meet the needof the industry because the parts can deteriorate/rust, become loose,and remain hidden by the cap allowing the problem to get worse. Otheroptions attempt to use nylon as a bolt and nut material, this issimilarly unable to meet the industry needs as it only solves thedeterioration/rust problem and are easily loosened by the angle of thethreading and the movement of the toilet and the foot can still becomeloose in the flange and require tools to tighten/repair. Still otheroptions attempt to use a redesigned foot on the bolt, but due to thevarying widths and shapes of the bolt channels on flanges they stillbecome dislodged and spin while trying to tighten.

A number of U.S. patents have been granted on toilet bolts. The U.S.Pat. No. 7,954,179 issued to Johnson discloses a bolt with an oblongfoot and male or female notches at the top of the bolts to visualize thedirection of the foot and allow the use of tools to prevent spinning.The U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,851 issued to Dickerson discloses a bolt withround foot and protrusion extending vertically from the top face of thefoot for preventing spinning in the flange bolt channel. The U.S. Pat.No. 4,530,629 issued to Sakow, discloses a oval foot for preventingspinning in the flange bolt channel.

The present invention is superior when compared to other known devicesand solutions because the present invention provides a superiorfastening of the toilet to the flange. Furthermore, the presentinvention is reusable, non-corrosive, requires no tools to re-tighten,will not allow the foot to spin in the bolt channel in the flange orbecome dislodged, the nut will not loosen with movement or rocking inthe toilet, and is antimicrobial. In addition, the beauty cap joins withthe nut and is used for re-tightening without removing the cap andwithout a wrench or other tools.

The present invention is unique, due to being made of an non-corrosivematerial. Other features unique to the present invention are presentedand discussed below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A non-corrosive, re-tightenable, tool-less toilet fastening system, usedfor fastening the toilet to the flange and holding it securely in place.This toilet fastening system is primarily constructed of annon-corrosive material, having a bolt with a off-set design foot on oneend and two channels 180 degrees apart running vertical through thethreading of the bolt to receive the locking tabs of the locking nut.Also the system has an locking nut, with locking tabs that keep the nutfrom becoming loose from the tightened position. The tightening cap,which sets on top of the locking nut, once placed in position, thenbecomes part of the tightening mechanism and does not require removalfor re-tightening of the nut to bolt configuration, nor does it requirethe use of tools.

The non-corrosive material would preferably be, but not limited to, aplastic or non-metallic material.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedtoilet fastening system for securing the toilet base to the floorflange.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an anti-back-offlocking system for nut to bolt configuration.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide asuperior foot part on the base of the bolts for the purpose ofpreventing spinning of the bolt in the flange bolt channel and toprevent dislodging of the bolt from the flange while the installer istightening the nut onto the bolt.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide afastening system where the beauty cap and nut form together duringinstallation to become one part for the purpose of re-tightening; thecap serving two purposes as a tool and as a clean-lined beautificationcovering over the exposed nut and bolt.

Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other features, advantages and objects of thisinvention, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent andthe invention itself will be better understood by reference to thefollowing description of embodiments of the invention taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a toilet fastening system according to theprinciples of the present invention positioned between a toilet baseattached to a floor flange and a toilet outlet base;

FIG. 2 is a top isometric view of a toilet fastening system according tothe principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom isometric view of the combination shown in FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 andviewed in the direction of the arrows.

Like reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts throughoutthe several figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a bolt10 positioned in the bolt channel 45 of a toilet flange 41 protrudingupward and through the bolt passage 42 in the toilet base 43, in turn tobe threaded through the nut 20. There after the cap 30 fits onto thenut. Herein, the use of non-corrosive substances will be deemed toencompass all suitable materials for the toilet fastening system.

Bolt 10 includes a offset foot 18 with a shaft 19 extending verticallyfrom the upper face of the foot. A threading is attached to or formed tothe surface of the shaft 19 and having channels 11 extending verticallythrough the threading 180 degrees apart from the other. The foot 18 hasan inside curved planar surface 14 and an outside curved planar surface15, which follow the contour of a flange bolt channel. The inside curvedplanar surface 14 begins near the front side of the threaded shaftextending horizontally toward the back to form a rear toe 17 and theoutside curved planar surface 15 begins near the back side of thethreaded shaft extending horizontally toward the front to form a fronttoe 16 making an offset planar foot while maintaining the ability to fitthe foot into the flange bolt channel. The foot 18 is positioned in thebolt channel of the toilet flange with the threaded shaft 10 extendingvertically through the bolt passage 42 of the toilet base 43.

The nut 20 includes a shelled hexagonal body 23 that extends upwardlyfrom the downwardly facing bottom surface with fins 22 extendinginwardly from each corner of the hexagonal shape meeting at the wall ofthe partially shelled cylinder 25 that extends upwardly from the planarupper surface of the hexagonal body 23. The cylinder 25 has a height100% greater than the height of the hexagonal body 23. The fins 22 arefilleted from where they meet the top plane of the hexagon body 23 tothe middle of the top plane of the fins 22. At the center of thecylinder 25 a threaded passage is bored vertically through the nut andhaving locking tabs 21 extending vertically 180 degrees apart from theedge of the opening of the threaded passage. A protrusion 27 runsvertically along the center of the interior face of each locking tabs21. At the base of the hexagonal body 23 is a thin cylinder 24 with adiameter greater than the width of the hexagonal body 23 and a filletedouter edge. At the base of the cylinder 24 is a cylinder 28 with adiameter less than the width of the hexagonal body 23 and a height greatenough to allow the cap 30 to join with the nut 20.

The nut 20 is placed onto the top of the threaded shaft 19 and turnedclockwise direction for tightening. As the nut is turned down the shaftthe tab protrusions 27 meet the threading and the locking tabs 21 aredeformed outwardly. The tab protrusions 27 then turn over the channelshelf 12 and fall into the channels 11, returning the locking tabs 21 totheir original shape. As the nut is turned further down the threadedshaft 19 the tab protrusions 27 rise over the channel exits 13 deformingthe locking tabs 21 outwardly.

The cap 30 extends upwardly from the planar downwardly facing bottomsurface in 4 melded conical shapes 32 to the upwardly facing planarsurface 31. The shape of the cap is not limited to a conical shape andcan be a dome, cube, cylinder, or pyramid. The downwardly facing flat orplanar surface of the cap 30 is extruded upwardly with a cylindricalshape that is extruded outwardly to create the ledge 33 for acceptingthe thin cylinder 24 of the nut 20. The downwardly facing surfacethereof is further extruded upwardly with a hexagonal shape 34 adistance equaling the height of the hexagonal body 23 of the nut 20 thennarrowing at an angle equal to the fillet of the fins 22 of nut 20forming the hexagonal pyramid 35 shaped cavity. The cavity thereofreceives the hexagonal body 23 of the nut 20 and thereafter receives thethin cylinder 24 of the nut 20 into the circular ledge 33 of the cap 30,joining them into one part.

A pair of bolts 10 have offset feet 18 positioned into bolt channels 45provided 180 degrees apart on flange 41. A pair of accurate shaped slotsextend from each opening of the bolt channels 45 with each slot having acounter bore or enlarged lower opening enabling the foot 18 of each bolt10 to be extended through the openings of the bolt channels 45 while thethreaded shaft 19 of the bolt 10 is extended upwardly. The threadedshafts 19 may be moved along the lengths of the accurate slots todistance the foot 18 apart from openings of the bolt channels 45preventing accidental disengagement of the bolt from the flange. Eachoffset foot having an inside curved planar surface 14 and outside curvedplanar surface 15 following the curvature of the accurate slots with theinside planar surface 14 being offset from the outside planar face 15.Each threaded shaft 19 then extends through or by the toilet seal. Eachthreaded shaft 19 then extends through passages 42 located 180 degreesapart on the upper surface of the toilet base 43.

Once the bolts 10 pass through the toilet base 43 the nut 20 is screwedon in a clockwise direction for fastening the toilet base 43 to thetoilet flange 41. As the nut 20 is turned clockwise down the threadedshaft 19, the locking tabs 21 grab at the locking channels 11 runningvertically 180 degrees apart on the threaded shaft 19 preventingunintended counterclockwise turning of the nut 20 on the threaded shaft19. The nuts 20 are tightened by hand or tool to a snug position whenthe toilet base 43 is secured to the toilet flange 41 and then theexcess threaded shafts 19 of the bolts 10 extending out of the top ofthe nuts 20 are removed.

The caps 30 are then joined onto the nuts 20 by aligning the hexagonalshape 23 on the nuts 20 to the hexagonal cavity 34 of the caps 30. Thecaps 30 are then able to be turned in a clockwise direction tighteningthe nuts 20 down the threaded shafts 19 if the toilet base requiresfurther fastening to the flange without the use of tools.

The bolt 10, nut 20 and cap 30 are composed preferably, but notnecessarily, throughout of a non-corrosive non-metallic material. Thematerial used may be a steel, brass, aluminum, zinc, Polyoxymethylene(POM), Polystyrene (PS), Polyamide, Poly(vinyl chloride), or othermetals or plastics. The bolt and nut may include glass or talc in thematerials, which increase structural and impact strength and rigidity,or molybdenum sulfide-filled variants which increase lubricity. Examplesof commercial polyamide products are Nylon from DuPont, Technyl fromRhodia, Rilsan and Rilsamid from Arkema. The non-metallic material maybe polymer based having BHT (butylated hydroxyl-toluene) providing ananti-microbial construction for the bolt, nut and cap.

The bolt, nut, and cap can be manufactured by the process of injectionmolding. The bolt can also be manufactured by the process of machininglengths of metal rods and threading by tap and die and then welding themachined foot to the base of the threaded shafts. Injection molding is aprocess for producing parts by injecting material into a injection mold.Injection molding can be performed with a host of materials, includingmetals, glasses, elastomers, confections, and most commonlythermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. Material for the part is fedinto a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity where itcools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity. Injection moldingutilizes a ram or screw-type plunger to force molten plastic materialinto a mold cavity; this solidifies into a shape that has conformed tothe contour of the mold.

Thermoplastics are prevalent due to characteristics which make themhighly suitable for injection molding, their ability to soften and flowupon heating high pressure injection of the raw material into a moldwhich shapes the polymer into the desired shape. Molds can be of asingle cavity or multiple cavities.

When thermoplastics are molded, typically pelletized raw material is fedthrough a hopper into a heated barrel with a reciprocating screw. Uponentrance to the barrel the thermal energy increases and the Van derWaals forces that resist relative flow of individual chains are weakenedas a result of increased space between molecules at higher thermalenergy states. This reduces its viscosity, which enables the polymer toflow with the driving force of the injection unit. The screw deliversthe raw material forward, mixes and homogenizes the thermal and viscousdistributions of the polymer, and reduces the required heating time bymechanically shearing the material and adding a significant amount offrictional heating to the polymer. The material feeds forward through acheck valve and collects at the front of the screw into a volume knownas a shot. Shot is the volume of material which is used to fill the moldcavity, compensate for shrinkage, and provide a cushion the screw totransfer pressure from the screw to the mold cavity. When enoughmaterial has gathered, the material is forced at high pressure andvelocity into the part forming cavity.

Once the screw reaches the transfer position the packing pressure isapplied, which completes mold filling and compensates for thermalshrinkage. The packing pressure is applied until the gate solidifies.Once the gate solidifies, no more material can enter the cavity; thescrew reciprocates and acquires material for the next cycle while thematerial within the mold cools so that it can be ejected and bedimensionally stable. This cooling duration is dramatically reduced bythe use of cooling lines circulating water or oil from a thermolator.Once the required temperature has been achieved, the mold opens and anarray of pins, sleeves, strippers, etc. are driven forward to demold thearticle. Then, the mold closes and the process is repeated.

For thermosets, typically two different chemical components are injectedinto the barrel. These components immediately begin irreversiblechemical reactions which eventually crosslinks the material into asingle connected network of molecules. As the chemical reaction occursthe two fluid components permanently transform into a viscoelasticsolid. After the part has solidified valves close, isolating theinjection system and chemical precursors, and the mold opens ejectingthe molded parts. Then, the mold closes and the process repeats.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toilet fastener for securing a toilet base to atoilet flange, the toilet fastener comprising: a conjoined nut and cap;an offset foot with a shaft extending from the top of the foot; and athreading formed to the shaft.
 2. The toilet fastener of claim 1,wherein the threading comprises a pair of channels extending verticallythrough the threading.
 3. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein thenut comprises a pair of tabs extending vertically from the edge of thethreaded passage that extends vertically through the center of the nut.4. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the nut comprises a bodymatching that of the cavity of the cap for tool-less installation andmaintenance.
 5. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the offset foothas an inside curved planar surface and an outside curved planar surfacewhich follow the contour of a flange bolt channel.
 6. The toiletfastener of claim 1, wherein the body of the offset foot, shaft andthreading comprises zinc.
 7. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein thebody of the offset foot, shaft and threading comprises brass.
 8. Thetoilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the body of the offset foot, shaftand threading comprises aluminum.
 9. The toilet fastener of claim 1,wherein the body of the offset foot, shaft and threading comprisessteel.
 10. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the body of the nutand cap comprises Polystyrene.
 11. The toilet fastener of claim 1,wherein the body of the nut and cap comprises Polyoxymethylene.
 12. Thetoilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the body of the nut and capcomprises Polyamide.
 13. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein thebody of the nut and cap comprises PVC.
 14. The toilet fastener of claim1, wherein the body of the offset foot, shaft and threading comprisesPolystyrene.
 15. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the body of theoffset foot, shaft and threading comprises Polyoxymethylene.
 16. Thetoilet fastener of claim 1, wherein the body of the offset foot, shaftand threading comprises Polyamide.
 17. The toilet fastener of claim 1,wherein the body of the offset foot, shaft and threading comprises PVC.18. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein molybdenum sulfide-filledvariants are present in the body of the nut, cap, offset foot, shaft andthreading.
 19. The toilet fastener of claim 1, wherein glass is presentin the body of the nut, cap, offset foot, shaft and threading.
 20. Thetoilet fastener of claim 1, wherein talc is present in the body of thenut, cap, offset foot, shaft and threading.
 21. The toilet fastener ofclaim 1, wherein BHT is present in the body of the nut, cap, offsetfoot, shaft and threading.